Welcome to another episode of Death Don’t Do Fiction, the AIPT Movies podcast! The podcast about the enduring legacy of our favorite movies! This February we’re continuing our new “Fast February” series, where we cover the movies that made Vin Diesel a star and taught the world to live their lives one quarter mile at a time, The Fast & Furious franchise! In this week’s episode, Alex, Tim, and returning guest Bill Mueller discuss 2003’s awkward attempt to recapture the magic of the surprisingly successful first movie, 2 Fast 2 Furious!

An incredible title! Those silly visor hats! Pepsi and NOS product placement! Trying to pick up girls during a dangerous undercover mission! A Sound Designer-approved audio mix! Loud, somewhat gaudy visuals thanks to that clumsy early thousands aesthetic! A possible influence on the Wachowskis' Speed Racer movie! A larger budget but a less tangible story with somehow even cringier lines! A third act you'll barely remember! The introduction of characters who would go on to be staples of the series! John Singleton trying his hand at directing a silly blockbuster! Race obstacles that would lead to expensive automotive repairs! A great car jump stunt that's wasted due to poor editing and unnecessary visual effects! A cast that includes a returning Paul Walker, James Remar, Eva Mendes, a pre-Yellowstone Cole Hauser, Mark Boone Junior, Devon Aoki, Ludacris, and Tyrese Gibson starting out as somewhat of a Dom Toretto wannabe before finding his character as the movie goes on! The entry of the series with possibly the least sense of "family," you never realized you could miss Vin Diesel so much!

In addition, Alex shares his spoiler-free thoughts on Crime 101, Psycho Killer, and the original Hunger Games quadrilogy!

You can find Death Don’t Do Fiction on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. As always, if you enjoy the podcast, be sure to leave us a positive rating, subscribe to the show, and tell your friends!

The Death Don’t Do Fiction podcast brings you the latest in movie news, reviews, and more! Hosted by supposed “industry vets,” Alex Harris and Tim Gardiner, the show gives you a peek behind the scenes from two filmmakers with oddly nonexistent filmographies. You can find Alex on Twitter, Bluesky, or Letterboxd @actionharris. This episode’s guest, Bill Mueller, can be found on Bluesky. Tim can’t be found on social media because he doesn’t exist. If you have any questions or suggestions for the Death Don’t Do Fiction crew, they can be reached at aiptmoviespod@gmail.com, or you can find them on Twitter or Instagram @aiptmoviespod.

Theme song is “We Got it Goin On” by Cobra Man.